Manchester United’s season is at danger of imploding in spectacular model after they appeared to have turned the nook in Erik ten Hag’s first marketing campaign as supervisor.
The Red Devils, already with the League Cup within the bag and thru to the FA Cup last, have been sizzling favourites to safe a top-four Premier League place only a week in the past.
They are nonetheless fourth however after dropping eight factors of their previous 4 video games are only a single level clear of fast-charging Liverpool within the race for a Champions League place, albeit with a sport in hand.
United, who seem exhausted after a punishingly lengthy season, are counting the associated fee of a scarcity of firepower and a critical defensive disaster.
Both points have proven that the membership lack the depth of squad to maintain a title problem regardless of making vital strides underneath their Dutch supervisor.
United have managed simply 49 targets within the English top-flight, the second-lowest whole within the prime 9 and a whopping 40 fewer than leaders Manchester City.
Marcus Rashford has loved one of the best season of his profession, scoring 16 Premier League targets and 29 in all competitions, however United are over-reliant on moments of inspiration from the England man.
Next on the listing is midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who has simply six league targets. Jadon Sancho has 5 whereas Antony and the injury-plagued Anthony Martial have every solely discovered the online 4 occasions.
Sancho and Brazilian winger Antony, who collectively value greater than £150 million ($190 million) have been frustratingly inconsistent.
Loan signing Wout Weghorst, introduced in so as to add firepower after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo in November, has not managed a single league purpose.
Ten Hag admitted after Sunday’s 1-0 loss at West Ham that he was pissed off his aspect couldn’t capitalise on their probabilities.
A brand new quantity 9 will probably be United’s precedence within the upcoming switch window, with Tottenham’s Harry Kane usually talked about, however the calibre of participant they will appeal to could depend upon whether or not they qualify for the Champions League.
– Double harm blow –
Ten Hag has been compelled to juggle in latest weeks after shedding his first-choice centre-back pairing of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in the identical match final month towards Sevilla.
Argentine World Cup winner Martinez, dominated out for the season with a metatarsal harm, has added metal to United’s defence alongside the silky Varane, who might be again in motion quickly.
Luke Shaw has been used as a makeshift centre-back alongside Victor Lindelof, with membership captain Harry Maguire diminished to a bit-part function.
Behind the defenders, there are rising doubts about whether or not goalkeeper David de Gea is the proper man for the long run after one other howler towards West Ham.
The Spaniard has now made 4 errors resulting in a purpose in all competitions this season, the joint-most of any Premier League participant.
Ten Hag got here to his goalkeeper’s defence after the match at the London Stadium, declaring that he has essentially the most clear sheets within the Premier League this season.
“We need him to remain and we would like him to increase his contract,” he said.
United’s long campaign — Sunday’s game was their 57th of a season in which they have progressed deep into every cup competition — appears to be catching up with them.
But Ten Hag, who delivered the club’s first trophy for six years at Wembley in February, said his men could not afford to “feel sorry” for themselves.
“Tiredness is in your head,” he said. “If you want, if you have the willingness, you can take it. It’s now up to the players and me and the coaching staff to be together to get the willingness in and the belief we can take it and this team has it.”
He added: “It’s not about Liverpool, it’s about us — look at the desk. We have all the things in our palms. If we deliver our efficiency, if we deliver our requirements, we’ll win video games.
“We don’t must look to others, we’ve got to look to ourselves and discover a method to win and discover a method to get again to our ranges.”
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(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed)
